Home ground
Neftçi Arena
Baku
10,289Capacity
Neftçi v Arsenal Tula, August 2019
Baku · Azerbaijan
NeftçİPeşəkar Futbol Klubu
Neftçİlər · “The Oilmen” · Flaqman · “The Flagship”
- Oldest major club
- Champions ×9
Neftçi play at Neftçi Arena, capacity 10,289, are coached by Yuriy Vernydub and stand 1st in the 2026/27 Misli Premyer Liqası on 21 points from 10 matches. Founded in 1937 in Baku. 24 registered players.
Updated
2026/27 season
MİSLİ PREMYER LİQASILeague position
1st
Played 10
Points
21
- 6 won
- 3 drawn
- 1 lost
Registered players
24
for 2026/27
Ground capacity
10,289
Seats
Recent form
- Won
- Drew
- Drew
- Drew
- Won
Most recent last
Head coach
Yuriy Vernydub
Management
CEO Cenk Sümer
Squad
24
Registered players, 2026/27
Club colours
Black & white
“black gold” (oil) and “white gold” (cotton)
Last season2025/26
4th of 12
59 points
Honours
9League titles
6Azerbaijan Cups
2Supercups
League: 1992, 1995-96, 1996-97, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2020-21
Cup: 1994-95, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04, 2012-13, 2013-14
Squad 2026/27 — 24 players
Goalkeepers 2
Defenders 7
Midfielders 12
6
Sessi DalmeydaFrance · 30
7
Emil SəfərovAzerbaijan · 24
8
Emin MahmudovAzerbaijan · 34
10
Freddi VarqasVenesuela · 27
11
Alen ŞkribekHungary · 25
18
İfeanyi MetyuNigeria · 29
20
Qustavo KlismanBrazil · 26
22
Denzel JubitanaBelgium · 27
27
Draqolyub SaviçSerbia · 25
29
Lyubomir TuptaSlovakia · 28
33
Breno AlmeydaBrazil · 28
88
Viçko ŞevelCroatia · 26
Forwards 3
Squad taken from the Professional Football League's registration list for this club. Shirt numbers can change during a transfer window.
History
Founded on 18 March 1937 as Neftyanik — literally the oil workers' team, created by the USSR Ministry of the Oil Industry for the men working Baku's fields. It became Neftçi in 1968. Its black-and-white colours encode the two commodities that built the Azerbaijani SSR: black gold for oil, white gold for cotton. Nearly ninety years on, SOCAR's sponsorship keeps the same thread running. Neftçi spent 27 seasons in the Soviet Top League and finished third in 1966 — the best result any Azerbaijani club ever achieved in Soviet football, sealed by beating Spartak Moscow 3-0 on the final day. They were also independent Azerbaijan's first champions, in 1992.
In Europe
23 UEFA seasons, 82 matches. In 2012-13 Neftçi became the first Azerbaijani club to reach a European group stage, eliminating APOEL 4-2 on aggregate and then drawing twice with Partizan and playing at Inter's San Siro. In 2026/27 they lost the Conference League second-round first leg 4-2 at home to Dinamo Minsk on 22 July, Emin Mahmudov scoring inside two minutes.
Stories & legends
Anatoliy Banishevskiy
A one-club man from 1963 to 1978, 136 goals in the Soviet Top League, 51 caps and 20 goals for the USSR, and a starter at the 1966 World Cup where the Soviets finished fourth — still the best World Cup run by any Soviet or post-Soviet side. Named Azerbaijan's UEFA Golden Player in 2003.
Literally the oil workers' team
Founded by the Soviet oil ministry as a factory side. The colours are not decorative: black for oil, white for cotton.
The Flagship and its derbies
The historic rivalry is with Kəpəz of Ganja — 62 meetings since independence, Neftçi 27, Kəpəz 24 — but the Neftçi–Qarabağ fixture is now the league's defining match.
Fixtures & results
Next
Kəpəz
Zİrə
İmİşlİ
QəbələRecent
Turan Tovuz
SabahTransfers
Vincent AboubakarStriker · Cameroon
Contract end
To Free agent · 26 May 2026
Rüfat AbbasovLeft-back · Azerbaijan
3-yr deal
Joined Neftçifrom Şamaxı · 27 May 2026
Leading scorers
Neftçİ news
Misli Premyer Liqasi action continues with two matches
İmişli faces Turan Tovuz in Yevlax, while Kəpəz takes on Zirə in Ganja during the latest round of the Misli Premyer Liqasi.
Qarabağ and Neftçi share six goals in Baku thriller
Qarabağ and Neftçi played out a 3-3 draw in the Misli Premyer Liqasi, with a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser salvaging a point in Baku.
Renat Dadaşov returns to Baku after injury setback
Azerbaijan international Renat Dadaşov missed Bukovina's match against Kudrivka due to a recurrence of a thigh muscle injury sustained against…
Dambrauskas praises talented youngster Khayal Aliyev
Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas hailed returning youngster Xəyal Əliyev as one of Azerbaijan's most talented players after their win against Qəbələ.
Away wins for Zirə and Araz-Naxçıvan reserves
Zirə-2 and Araz-Naxçıvan-2 secured away victories against Turan Tovuz-2 and Şamaxı-2 respectively on the opening day of the Reserves League's sixth…
High ticket demand expected for Qarabağ and Neftçi clash
High ticket demand is expected for the Misli Premyer Liqasi clash between Qarabağ and Neftçi as both teams battle at the top of the table.
Official channels
Currently branded Palms Sports Arena; big fixtures at Tofiq Bahramov (31,200)
Frequently asked
Where does Neftçi play?
Neftçi play at Neftçi Arena in Baku, capacity 10,289. Currently branded Palms Sports Arena; big fixtures at Tofiq Bahramov (31,200)
Who is the Neftçi head coach?
Yuriy Vernydub.
When were Neftçi founded?
Neftçi were founded in 1937 in Baku.
What has Neftçi won?
League titles: 1992, 1995-96, 1996-97, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2020-21. Azerbaijan Cup: 1994-95, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04, 2012-13, 2013-14.